Prunus salicina. 
xe2x80x98Suplumtwentytwo.xe2x80x99
This invention relates to the discovery and asexual propagation of a new variety of plum, Prunus salicina cv. xe2x80x98Suplumtwentytwo.xe2x80x99 The new variety was first hybridized by Bruce D. Mowrey and selected and evaluated by David W. Cain near Wasco, Kern County, Calif., the variety being originated by open pollination of an unnamed, unpatented Sun World plum selection, designated as 91P-001. The new variety is characterized by its very early-ripening fruit with a mildly sweet taste. The fruit flesh is pale yellow near the pit cavity and red throughout the rest of the flesh which darkens with ripening. The fruit is not prone to fruit drop and has good keeping quality for the fresh market.
xe2x80x98Suplumtwentytwoxe2x80x99 has as its seed parent an unnamed, unpatented plum variety designated as 91P-001. The pollen parent is unknown, as the new plum variety cv. xe2x80x98Suplumtwentytwoxe2x80x99 arose from an open-pollination of the seed parent. The parent varieties were first crossed in 1993, with the date of sowing November 1993 and the first flowering being 1996. The new xe2x80x98Suplumtwentytwoxe2x80x99 varety was first asexually propagated by David W. Cain in May 1998, near Wasco, Kern County, Calif., by budding onto xe2x80x98Flordaguardxe2x80x99 rootstock.
The new variety xe2x80x98Suplumtwentytwoxe2x80x99 is distinguished from its seed parent 91P-001 by producing dark red firm flesh, in contrast to the yellow flesh of the seed parent 91P-001 which becomes red only when the fruit becomes very softly ripe. The surface of the new variety is smooth in contrast to the corrugated surface of 91P-001. xe2x80x98Suplumtwentytwoxe2x80x99 further differs from its seed parent by having slightly larger fruit, averaging about 6 cm in diameter compared with an average diameter of 5.5 cm for 91P-001. xe2x80x98Suplumtwentytwoxe2x80x99 ripens approximately 10 days before 91P-001.
The new plum variety cv xe2x80x98Suplumtwentytwoxe2x80x99 most nearly resembles the interspecific tree xe2x80x98Flavorosaxe2x80x99 variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,285). It is distinguished from xe2x80x98Flavorosaxe2x80x99 by possessing fruits having flesh that is generally more pale yellow when commercially ripe, with a lighter red coloration near the pit cavity in contrast to the darker coloration at the pit cavity of the xe2x80x98Flavorosaxe2x80x99 variety. The fruit of xe2x80x98Suplumtwentytwoxe2x80x99 hold more tenaciously to the tree and are not as prone to fruit drop as the fruit approach maturity, in comparision with the xe2x80x98Flavorosaxe2x80x99 variety. xe2x80x98Suplumtwentytwoxe2x80x99 possesses smaller size leaves having a more rounded, elliptic, and less pronounced pointed lanceolate apex as opposed to the xe2x80x98Flavorosaxe2x80x99 variety. The new variety xe2x80x98Suplumtwentytwoxe2x80x99 is further distinguished from the xe2x80x98Flavorosaxe2x80x99 in not being an interspecific hybrid having Prunus armeniaca in its parentage.
The new plum variety cv. xe2x80x98Suplumtwentytwoxe2x80x99 ripens at approximately the same time as xe2x80x98Red Beautxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,539, expired) but differs from xe2x80x98Red Beautxe2x80x99 by producing black-skinned fruit with red flesh and an oblate shape, as compared with the red-skinned fruit, yellow flesh, and ovate shape of the xe2x80x98Red Beautxe2x80x99 variety.
The new plum variety cv. xe2x80x98Suplumtwentytwoxe2x80x99 variety has been shown to maintain its distinguishing characteristics through successive asexual propagations by, for example, budding.